Paparadelle Marinara (Tomato & Basil Sauce)

Place the flour in a mixing bowl, make a well in the center. Pour the eggs in the center of the hole, then add the olive oil and salt. Mix the dough with your hands until well combined.

Add water bit by bit while kneading the dough with the palm of your hand. Knead the dough until you end up with a smooth ball of pasta. Cling wrap the dough and let it rest for 10 minutes.

Heat a pan to medium heat, add the olive oil blend, then add the chopped onions and sauté until golden brown. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Add the garlic and chopped tomatoes. Season again with salt and pepper to taste. Turn your heat down so the sauce can simmer. Mix your sauce every now and then. Add a little water to loosen up your sauce to ensure it doesn’t cook dry.

Add the basil chiffonade, then mix and simmer for another 5 minutes. Set the pan aside.

Get a rolling pin ready, dust your counter surface very lightly with some flour. Place the ball of dough onto the floured surface and press down to flatten the ball. Start rolling your dough thin enough to feed through the pasta roller (about 3mm thick). Turn the dough over every now and then to make sure it stays lightly floured. Cut your pasta dough sheet into wide strips half the size of your pasta machine’s width.

Bring a medium pot half full of water to boil, add a little olive oil blend.

Take one pasta sheet at a time and feed it through the roller on the wide setting (#5).

Change the setting to 1 size smaller and feed each sheet through again (#4).

Change your roller to the final setting of your choice (not too thick and not too thin), then do a last feed of each sheet (#2).

Cut your dough lengths by hand into 5cm wide ribbons.

Place your paparadelle pasta into the rapidly boiling water. Use a spoon to stir them up a little so they do not clump together. Boil for about 3–4 minutes, then remove the pasta from the water and place directly into your pan with the marinara sauce.

Place your pan onto medium heat, season your pasta with salt and pepper to taste, then mix the pasta through the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add a little of your pasta water to your dish. Cook through, then serve.

Garnish with the grated parmesan cheese and some torn basil leaves.